Method and system for maintaining login preference information of users in a network-based transaction facility

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining and utilizing login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information is communicated to a client via a communications network. The user interface information includes information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. The user interface information also specifies a login interface that facilitates user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features. Further, the login preference information is received from the client via the communications network and utilized to control user access to any of the plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility via the communications network.

PRIORITY APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Utilityapplication Ser. No. 09/772,347, filed on Jan. 29, 2001, whichapplication is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of accessrestriction and, more specifically, to the maintaining login preferenceinformation of users in a network-based transaction facility such as,for example, an Internet-based auction facility.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A network-based transaction facility (e.g., a business-to-business,business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer Internet marketplace andretailer) may offer its users a variety of features. For instance, anInternet-based auction facility may provide such features as bidding,listing, feedback, chatting, etc. Typically, users of a network-basedtransaction facility must enter their user identifier (user id) andpassword every time they perform any significant activity within thetransaction facility. For example, in an auction facility, a user isrequired to enter his or her user id and password each time the userwishes to access a bidding feature, a listing feature, a feedbackfeature, or any other feature provided by the auction facility.Requiring a user to enter his or her user id and password multiple timesduring the user session within a transaction facility causesinconvenience to the user and destructs the user's attention from theonline activity being performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining andutilizing login preference information of users of a network-basedtransaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information iscommunicated to a client via a communications network. The userinterface information includes information concerning a plurality offeatures within the network-based transaction facility. The userinterface also specifies a login interface that facilitates user inputof login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality offeatures. Further, the login preference information is received from theclient via the communications network and utilized to control useraccess to any of the plurality of features within the network-basedtransaction facility via the communications network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which likereferences indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a network-basedtransaction facility;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a database maintained bya database engine server;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a userinformation table within the database;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method for maintaininglogin preference information of users of a network-based transactionfacility;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method for utilizing userlogin preference information within a network-based transactionfacility;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an interface sequenceimplemented to maintain and utilize login preference information ofusers of a network-based transaction facility;

FIGS. 7-15 are exemplary representations of various interfaces includedin the sequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method and system for maintaining and utilizing login preferenceinformation of users of a network-based transaction facility aredescribed. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, toone skilled in the art that the present invention may be practicedwithout these specific details.

Terminology

For the purposes of the present specification, the term “transaction”shall be taken to include any communications between two or moreentities and shall be construed to include, but not be limited to,commercial transactions including sale and purchase transactions,auctions and the like.

Transaction Facility

FIG. 1 is block diagram illustrating an exemplary network-basedtransaction facility in the form of an Internet-based auction facility10. While an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedwithin the context of an auction facility, it will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that the invention will find application inmany different types of computer-based, and network-based, commercefacilities.

The auction facility 10 includes one or more of a number of types offront-end servers, namely page servers 12 that deliver web pages (e.g.,markup language documents), picture servers 14 that dynamically deliverimages to be displayed within Web pages, listing servers 16, CGI servers18 that provide an intelligent interface to the back-end of facility 10,and search servers 20 that handle search requests to the facility 10.E-mail servers 21 provide, inter alia, automated e-mail communicationsto users of the facility 10.

The back-end servers include a database engine server 22, a search indexserver 24 and a credit card database server 26, each of which maintainsand facilitates access to a respective database.

The Internet-based auction facility 10 may be accessed by a clientprogram 30, such as a browser (e.g., the Internet Explorer distributedby Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.) that executes on a client machine32 and accesses the facility 10 via a network such as, for example, theInternet 34. Other examples of networks that a client may utilize toaccess the auction facility 10 include a wide area network (WAN), alocal area network (LAN), a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network),or the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) network.

Database Structure

FIG. 2 is a database diagram illustrating an exemplary database 23,maintain by and accessed via the database engine server 22, which atleast partially implements and supports the auction facility 10. Thedatabase 23 may, in one embodiment, be implemented as a relationaldatabase, and includes a number of tables having entries, or records,that are linked by indices and keys. In an alternative embodiment, thedatabase 23 may be implemented as collection of objects in anobject-oriented database.

Central to the database 23 is a user table 40, which contains a recordfor each user of the auction facility 10. A user may operate as aseller, buyer, or both, within the auction facility 10. A userinformation table 41 is linked to the user table 40 and includes moredetailed information about each user. The database 23 also includes itemtables 42 that may be linked to the user table 40. Specifically, thetables 42 include a seller items table 44 and a bidder items table 46. Auser record in the user table 40 may be linked to multiple items thatare being, or have been, auctioned via the facility 10. A link indicateswhether the user is a seller or a bidder (or buyer) with respect toitems for which records exist within the item tables 42. The database 23also includes a note table 48 populated with note records that may belinked to one or more item records within the item tables 42 and/or toone or more user records within the user table 40. Each note recordwithin the table 48 may include, inter alia, a comment, description,history or other information pertaining to an item being auction via theauction facility 10, or to a user of the auction facility 10.

A number of other tables are also shown to be linked to the user table40, namely a user past aliases table 50, a feedback table 52, a feedbackdetails table 53, a bids table 54, an accounts table 56, an accountbalances table 58 and a transaction record table 60.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment ofthe user information table 41. The user information table 41 storesdetailed information about each user participating in the actionfacility 10. The table 41 includes a user identifier column 72 thatstores, for each entry, a user identifier providing a pointer to theuser table 40. A name column 74 stores the full name of each user. Agender column 76 stores the gender of each user. An e-mail addresscolumn 78 stores each user's e-mail address. A password preferencescolumn 80 stores user login preference information that pertains to aplurality of features offered by a network-based transaction facility(e.g., auction facility 10).

It will be appreciated that other descriptive information may alsopopulate the user information table 41.

Maintaining Login Preference Information

In order to facilitate the convenience and efficiency of usersconducting business transactions within a network-based transactionfacility such as auction facility 10, the present invention proposes amethod and system whereby a user may provide his or her login preferenceinformation pertaining to any of a plurality of features offered by thenetwork-based transaction facility. This login preference information isstored in a database (e.g., database 23) and utilized when adetermination is made as to whether to require the user to enter his orher user identifier (user id) and password for accessing a featurewithin the network-based transaction facility.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of one embodiment of method 400 for maintaininglogin preference information of users of a network-based transactionfacility. Method 400 begins with communicating user interfaceinformation to a client via a communications network (processing block404). The user interface information includes information concerning aplurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. Forinstance, the plurality of features within network-based auctionfacility 10 may include such features as bidding, listing, feedback,chatting, etc. The user interface information also specifies a logininterface that facilitates user input of login preference informationpertaining to the features offered by the network-based transactionfacility. In one embodiment, the login preference information indicateswhether a user password should be remembered for each of these features.In one embodiment, these features do not include the features thatinvolve display of user personal information. For instance, the userwill be always required to enter a password for any feature that maydisplay the credit card information or registration information of theuser.

At processing block 406, the login preference information is receivedfrom the client via the communications network (e.g., via Internet). Inone embodiment, the login preference information is stored in a database(e.g., in table 41 of database 23). Further, at processing block 410,the login preference information is utilized when providing user accessto one of the features offered by the network-based transactionfacility. One embodiment for utilizing the login preference informationis described in greater detail below in conjunction with FIG. 5.

In one embodiment, the user is presented with an interface that allowsthe user to change the login preference information. In this embodiment,the database is updated each time the user changes the login preferenceinformation.

In one embodiment, when the user logs on into the transaction facility,a determination is made as to whether the user has previously providedthe login preference information. If the determination is positive, awelcome user interface is presented to the user. The welcome userinterface includes information indicating that the user has previouslyprovided the login preference information and contains a link to a loginpreference interface, which allows the user to modify the existing loginpreference information.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method 500 for utilizinguser login preference information within a network-based transactionfacility.

Method 500 begins with initiating a user session (processing block 504).The user session is typically initiated when the user logs into thenetwork-based transaction facility by providing his or her logoninformation (e.g., user id and password). Next, user login preferenceinformation is retrieved from a database (processing block 506) andstored in a session cookie (processing block 508). The session cookiemay also store other information such as, for example, client's IPaddress, cookie ID, user ID, etc. In one embodiment, the informationstored in the session cookie is encrypted. In one embodiment, thesession cookie expires in a predefined time period (e.g., 20 minutes) ifthe user conducts no activity within the network-based transactionfacility or if the user logs out (e.g., via the regular logout procedureor by closing the browser).

Subsequently, during the session, the user submits a request to access aparticular feature within the network-based transaction facility (e.g.,by activating a link or a button). Upon receiving the user request(processing block 510), a determination is made as to whether therequested feature always requires a password (decision box 512). In oneembodiment, the password is always required for a feature involvingdisplay of user personal information such as, for example, the creditcard information or registration information of the user. If therequested feature always requires a password, the user password isrequested (processing block 514) and, upon receiving the correctpassword, access to the requested feature is provided (processing block520).

Otherwise, if the requested feature is not designated as alwaysrequiring a password, login preference information pertaining to therequested feature is retrieved from the session cookie (processing block514). Next, a determination is made as to whether the user has selectedto require a password for this feature using the login preferenceinformation (processing block 516). If a password is required, the useris requested to enter a password (processing block 518), and if theentered password is correct, the access to the feature is provided(processing block 520). If the login preference information indicatesthat the password is not required, method 500 flows directly toprocessing block 520, which provides user access to the requestedfeature.

User Interfaces

FIG. 6 shows an interface sequence 700, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, that may be implemented by auctionfacility 10 to maintain and utilize login preference information ofusers. Exemplary representations of the various interfaces includedwithin sequence 700 are shown in FIGS. 7-15.

Interface sequence 700 commences with a login interface 708 throughwhich a user of auction facility 10 provides at least a user identifierand associated password. Login interface 708 may be accessed via anumber of interfaces communicating information pertaining to variousfeatures offered by auction facility 10 (e.g., bidding interface 702 orhistory and email request interface 704), each of which comprises amarkup language document (e.g., HTML document) including a hypertextlink to an object that generates login interface 708 as well as furtherinterfaces of sequence 700. In one embodiment, login interface 708 alsoallows a user to request not to use a cookie during his or her onlineactivity within auction facility 10.

If the user logs on into auction facility 10 via login interface 708 forthe first time, the user is presented with setup preferences interface710 which specifies various features offered by auction facility 10 andfacilitates user input of login preference information pertaining toeach of these features. That is, the user may indicate via setuppreferences interface 710 whether the user wants to have his or herpassword remembered for each feature. After the user preferences areset, preferences confirmation interface 712 is displayed to inform theuser that the preference settings have been saved and that the user maymodify them upon accessing my preferences interface 716.

If the user logs on into auction facility 10 via login interface 708 notfor the first time (i.e., the user has previously provided user loginpreference information), welcome interface 714 is displayed thatwelcomes the user by name and includes a link to my preferencesinterface 716. My preferences interface 716 displays existing user loginpreferences, i.e., identifies the features of auction facility 10 forwhich the user wishes to have the user password remembered, and allowsthe user to modify the existing preferences. Preferences confirmationinterface 712 confirms that the user settings have been saved.

Further, when the user wishes to access a feature within auctionfacility 10, the user may or may not be required to enter a passworddepending on the user login preferences. For instance, if the userselected to have his or her password remembered for a bidding feature,bidding interface 720 is provided without requiring the user to enterthe password. If the user chose not to have the password remembered forthe bidding feature, the user is requested to enter the password beforeaccessing bidding interface 720. In addition, bidding interface 720includes a link to my preferences interface 716 to allow the user tomodify the login preferences.

If the user wishes to view history or email address of another user, theuser may be required to enter the password via history and email requestinterface 722 or, alternatively, directly receive the requestedinformation depending on the user setting for this feature.

It should be noted that interfaces of other features may be includedwithin sequence 700 instead of, or in addition to, any of biddinginterface 720 and history and email request interface 722 depending onwhat features the user wishes to access during his or her onlineactivity within auction facility 10.

FIGS. 7-15 are exemplary representations of various interfaces includedin sequence 700. FIGS. 7 and 15 are exemplary representations of abidding interface. Bidding interface 702 of FIG. 7 is displayed to auser who has not previously set his or her login preferences. Biddinginterface 702 includes button 802 allowing the user to set the loginpreferences via login interface 708. Bidding interface 720 of FIG. 14 isdisplayed to a user who has already set the login preferences in aprevious session. Bidding interface 720 provides link 1502 to mypreferences interface 716 allowing the user to modify the existing loginpreferences.

FIGS. 8 and 15 are exemplary representations of a history and emailrequest interface. History and email request interface 704 of FIG. 8 isdisplayed to a user who has not previously set his or her loginpreferences and includes button 902 allowing the user to set the loginpreferences via login interface 708. History and email request interface722 of FIG. 15 is displayed to a user who has previously selected not tohave a user password remembered for this feature and includes link 1606to my preferences interface 712 allowing the user to modify the existinglogin preferences.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary representation of login interface 708. Logininterface 708 provides user identifier field 1002 and password field1004 into which the user may enter a user identifier and password. Inaddition, the user may request not to use a cookie during the useronline activity within auction facility 10 using link 1006.

FIG. 10 is an exemplary representation of setup preferences interface710 which specifies various features offered within auction facility 10,namely selling, chat, my page, bidding, feedback, and other features.Check boxes 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110 and 1112 allow the user to sethis or her preference for each of these features. That is, if the userchecks any of these check boxes, the user will not be required toprovide a password before accessing a corresponding feature. Note 1114indicates that the user may change his or her preferences at any timeusing my preferences interface 716.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary representation of preferences confirmationinterface 712 which notifies the user that the user login preferenceinformation has been saved.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary representation of welcome interface 714 which isdisplayed if the user has already provided the login preferenceinformation in a previous session. Welcome interface 714 includes link1302 to my preferences interface 716 which allows the user to change theexisting login preferences.

FIG. 13 is an exemplary representation of my preferences interface 716.My preferences interface 716 specifies user preferences for variousfeatures such as selling, chat, my page, bidding, feedback, and others.The user may change any of the existing preferences via check boxes1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110 and 1112.

In summary, it will be appreciated that the above described interfaces,and underlying technologies, provide a convenient vehicle for theinputting and modifying of user login preferences pertaining to variousfeatures offered by auction facility 10.

Computer Architecture

FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the exemplaryform of a computer system 1700 within which a set of instructions, forcausing the machine to perform any one of the methodologies discussedabove, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine maycomprise a network router, a network switch, a network bridge, PersonalDigital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance or anymachine capable of executing a sequence of instructions that specifyactions to be taken by that machine.

The computer system 1700 includes a processor 1702, a main memory 1704and a static memory 1706, which communicate with each other via a bus1708. The computer system 1700 may further include a video display unit1710 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)).The computer system 1700 also includes an alpha-numeric input device1712 (e.g. a keyboard), a cursor control device 1714 (e.g. a mouse), adisk drive unit 1716, a signal generation device 1720 (e.g., a speaker)and a network interface device 1722.

The disk drive unit 1716 includes a computer-readable medium 1724 onwhich is stored a set of instructions (i.e., software) 1726 embodyingany one, or all, of the methodologies described above. The software 1726is also shown to reside, completely or at least partially, within themain memory 1704 and/or within the processor 1702. The software 1726 mayfurther be transmitted or received via the network interface device1722. For the purposes of this specification, the term“computer-readable medium” shall be taken to include any medium that iscapable of storing or encoding a sequence of instructions for executionby the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one of themethodologies of the present invention. The term “computer-readablemedium” shall accordingly be taken to included, but not be limited to,solid-state memories, optical and magnetic disks, and carrier wavesignals.

Thus, a method and system for maintaining login preference informationof users of a network-based transaction facility have been described.Although the present invention has been described with reference tospecific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

1. A method, comprising: setting a session cookie for a user during alogin of a user to a network-based transaction facility, wherein thesession cookie is set in response to login preference informationdefined by the user via separate interactions from the login and thesession cookie identifies the login preference information of the userfor access to features of the network-based transaction facility; andusing the login preference information to selectively activate a numberof the features of the network-based transaction facility in a mannerthat was custom defined by the user within the login preferenceinformation.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, providing anoption within the login preference information that permits the user toexclude the setting of the session cookie for subsequent login sessionsof the user to the network-based transaction facility.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising, removing the session cookie when the userterminates a communication session with the network-based transactionfacility.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein using further includesidentifying a particular option within the login preference informationthat instructs the network-based transaction facility to request apassword of the user before the user can activate a particular featureof the network-based transaction facility that corresponds to thatparticular option.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein using furtherincludes identifying a particular option within the login preferenceinformation that instructs the network-based transaction facility toautomatically recall and supply a password for the user and to permitthe user to activate a particular feature of the network-basedtransaction facility that corresponds to that particular option withoutthe user having to supply the password.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein setting further includes acquiring the login preferenceinformation from a database and constructing the session cookie from theacquired login preference information.
 7. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising, ignoring an option within the login preference informationthat bypasses a password submission made by the user for a particularfeature of the network-based transaction facility when the particularfeature relates to displaying personal information of the user.
 8. Amethod, comprising: interacting with a user to receive login preferenceinformation from the user as it relates to a plurality of featuresavailable to the user via a network-based transaction facility; andproviding options for the login preference information that permits theuser to decide whether the login preference information is to be set asa session cookie for the user with subsequent login sessions to thenetwork-based transaction facility or whether the login preferenceinformation is to be retrieved from a database each time a user attemptsto access a particular feature of the network-based transaction facilityduring those subsequent login sessions, and wherein each option permitsthe user to custom define how access and presentation of a particularfeature is to be handled during those subsequent login sessions.
 9. Themethod of claim 8 further comprising: identifying the user logging intofor a particular session with the network-based transaction facility;acquiring the login preference information for the user from thedatabase; determining from the login preference information that asession cookie is permissible; constructing the session cookie toinclude the login preference information; and setting the session cookiefor the particular session.
 10. The method of claim 9 furthercomprising: selectively determining in response to the session cookiewhether the user is required to supply a password for a particularfeature of the network-based transaction facility; and overriding aselection that appears to permit the user to bypass supplying thepassword for the particular feature when the particular featuresdisplays personal information associated with the user.
 11. The methodof claim 9 further comprising, removing the session cookie when theparticular session terminates.
 12. The method of claim 8, whereinproviding further includes permitting the user to custom definedifferent access restrictions for different ones of the features withinthe network-based transaction facility as it pertains to the user'sattempted access of those features during the subsequent login sessions.13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing further includesidentifying at least one access restriction defined by the user thatrequest the user provide verification information for a first-access toa particular feature during a particular one of subsequent loginsessions and then permits the user to bypass supplying the verificationinformation during that particular subsequent login session forsubsequent accesses to the particular feature.
 14. The method of claim8, wherein providing further includes permitting the user to customdefine interfaces and display information presented with thoseinterfaces for a number of the features of the network-based transactionfacility.
 15. A method, comprising: logging a user into a network-basedtransaction facility in response to verification information supplied bythe user; presenting the user with a login preference interface for theuser to custom define access restrictions for particular features of thenetwork-based transaction facility on a per feature basis; and allowingthe user to decide within the login preference interface as to whether asession cookie is permissible set during subsequent login sessions ofthe user with the network-based transaction facility, wherein the loginpreference information is included within the session cookie.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 further comprising, allowing the user to customdefine presentations that the user can view during the subsequent loginsessions on a per feature basis.
 17. The method of claim 15 furthercomprising, ignoring an indication from the user within the loginpreference interface that attempts to override supplying a user passwordfor particular features that display or access personal information ofthe user.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein presenting furtherincludes providing options for the features within the login preferenceinterface that are related to bidding, listing items for sale, feedbackon transactions with other users of the network-transaction facility,history of transactions, chatting with a number of the other users, andemail communications.
 19. The method of claim 15 further comprising,identifying certain ones of the features that present credit informationof the user or registration information of the user and denying any userattempt to override particular ones of the access restrictionsassociated with these features.
 20. The method of claim 15 furthercomprising, encrypting the session cookie for subsequent ones of thelogin sessions of the user when the user permits setting the sessioncookie and removing the session cookie when each of those subsequentlogin sessions terminate.